West Orange School Hosts Parent Workshop: ‘Understanding Sexuality’

WEST ORANGE, NJ — A middle school in West Orange recently hosted a workshop for local parents and community members who want to learn more about “understanding sexuality.”

New Jersey nonprofit Garden State Equality led the March 14 discussion at Roosevelt Middle School, which was organized by school counselor Karen Peyragrosse. As part of their mission, the group provides education and training regarding LGBTQ issues to schools and other groups across the state. Read More: LGBTQ Nonprofit Helps West Orange Schools Prep For New Law

During the workshop at Roosevelt Middle School, Garden State Equality trainers Damien Lopez and Justine Saliski provided information about the “Road to Equality.” They also reviewed some LGBTQ-related terminology with attendees, such as “external and internal identities,” “intersex children,” “asexuality,” “pansexuality,” and the sometimes-confusing language of pronouns and their identification. They also spoke about challenges to the “gender binary” – the belief that someone is purely male or female.

According to Lopez and Saliski, traditional sexual norms and mores have made it difficult for people struggling with their identities. As a result, up to 40 percent of the homeless population is represented by LGBTQ youths, who very often live in fear and consider/commit suicide at a rate four times greater than other teens.

Lopez and Saliski encouraged parents to be patient and continue learning, and not to be overwhelmed with changing societal norms.

Becoming an ally to the LGBTQ community is likewise a process, requiring a person to understand their privilege – that an ally “won’t ever have to deal” with the situations that LGBTQ people face, the pair said.

Listening, being open-minded, being willing to be an advocate (“speak up-not over”), asking questions, doing research, being inclusive and “realizing that ‘ally’ is a verb” are all ways to begin supporting the LGBTQ community, Lopez and Saliski said.

Additional resources can be found online at the below websites, West Orange school officials said:

• Garden State Equality
• The Human Rights Campaign
• The Trevor Project

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